Take Stock Sarasota - November Newsletter 2022

H e l l o a n d w e l c o m e t o T a k e

S t o c k S a r a s o t a ’ s m o n t h l y n e w s l e t t e r . W e a r e t r u l y b l e s s e d t o p a r t n e r w i t h t h e b e s t d o n o r s , m e n t o r s , s c h o o l s a n d o r g a n i z a t i o n s t o p r o v i d e c o l l e g e s u c c e s s c o a c h i n g

a n d p o s t s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n t o i n c r e d i b l e , d e s e r v i n g s t u d e n t s i n S a r a s o t a C o u n t y . T h a n k y o u t o a l l w h o m a k e o u r p r o g r a m s o s u c c e s s f u l .

T a k e S t o c k S a r a s o t a h a s s o m u c h t o b e t h a n k f u l f o r a s w e e n t e r t h e h o l i d a y s e a s o n . T h a n k y o u t o o u r a m a z i n g c o m m u n i t y f o r h e l p i n g o u r s t u d e n t s t h r o u g h t h e a f t e r m a t h o f h u r r i c a n e I a n . T h a n k y o u t o o u r d e d i c a t e d c o l l e g e s u c c e s s c o a c h e s a n d m e n t o r s f o r s u p p o r t i n g o u r s t u d e n t s t h r o u g h t h e l i t e r a l s t o r m a n d t h e d a yt o - d a y “ s t o r m s ” t h e y e n c o u n t e r . T h a n k y o u t o o u r m e n t o r a n d f r i e n d K i m a n d h e r w o n d e r f u l t e a m a t S - O n e H o l d i n g s C o r p o r a t i o n f o r r e a c h i n g o u t t o h e l p b r i n g h o l i d a y c h e e r t o s o m e o f o u r f a m i l i e s , a s w e l l a s o u r f r i e n d K a r i e a t K e l l e r W i l l i a m s o n t h e W a t e r a n d M i c h e l l e a n d h e r g r o u p o f a n g e l s .

A s a l w a y s , a b i g t h a n k y o u t o o u r m e n t o r s a n d d o n o r s f o r c o n t i n u a l l y p r o v i d i n g o u r s t u d e n t s w i t h t h e i r t i m e a n d t r e a s u r e . T h e g i f t o f a n e d u c a t i o n a n d a m e n t o r a r e g i f t s t h a t w i l l l a s t o u r s t u d e n t s a l i f e t i m e .

W i s h i n g y o u a l l a g r e a t m o n t h . W e t r u l y t h a n k y o u f o r a l l t h a t y o u d o .

Student Success

7th grade

“I am grateful for being in Take Stock because it will help me get into college and learn more stuff for the future. I will also get college tuition and not worry about paying lots of money for college.”

Julian, 7th grade

“I am thankful for being in this program because they can help pay for college. Another reason I am thankful is because they will be there for me until I can go to college.”

Neisy, 7th grade

“I’m grateful to belong to Take Stock because I basically have a guaranteed bright future and I can ask for help with whatever I’m struggling with in school.” ~Haley, 7th grade

“I’m so thankful to have Take Stock in Children because it’s so helpful to me and my family. You guys are so nice and kind. Every time I get a text it’s so positive. Also, because I know for sure that I have an opportunity to go to college! I’m so excited for it, I can’t wait! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!” Talia, 7th grade

-Shandrea,

Our youngest Take Stock scholars at Booker Middle School share what makes them THANKFUL.

“I am grateful for being in Take Stock because this program helps me with learning about colleges and staying focused on my grades.” Carla,

“I like to be in the Take Stock program because I get to learn more about my career” ~Quentin, 7th grade

Our students are also thankful for their mentors!

“I am thankful for my school administration and Take Stock giving me a mentor to talk to at school.”

Riverview HS (Above with Mentor Patricia Forrester)

“I am so grateful I got into the TSIC scholarship program and I like that it gives me someone to guide me through high school ” Gwendolyn, Riverview HS (Below with Mentor Mary Anne Gerry)

D a r l e n e T a g g a r t , j o i n e d a s a n e w v o l u n t e e r m e n t o r t h i s y e a r a n d i s t h e m o t h e r o f T a k e S t o c k i n C h i l d r e n o f S a r a s o t a C o u n t y a l u m n a T a r a T a g g a r t . w h o i s f e a t u r e d i n o u r A m a z i n g A l u m n i s e c

D a r l e n e m e n t o r s a S a r a s o t a H i g h S c h o o l s c h o l a r a n d f o r h e r , i t b r i n g s b a c k m e m o r i e s o f h e r d a u g h t e r ’ s t i m e i n T a k e S t o c k i n C h i l d r e n o f S a r a s o t a C o u n t y . N e a r l y a d e c a d e a g o , i n 2 0 1 3 , D a r l e n e ’ s d a u g h t e r T a r a g r a d u a t e d f r o m h i g h s c h o o l w i t h t h e h e l p o f T a k e S t o c k ’ s s c h o l a r s h i p a n d m e n t o r p r o g r a m .

D a r l e n e i s e x t r e m e l y t h a n k f u l f o r T a r a ’ s t i m e w i t h T a k e S t o c k . S h e f e e l s s o f o r t u n a t e b e c a u s e s h e c r e d i t s T a k e S t o c k f o r h e r d a u g h t e r ’ s s u c c e s s i n g e t t i n g h e r b a c h e l o r ’ s a n d m a s t e r ’ s d e g r e e s f r o m F l o r i d a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y .

S h e i s t h r i l l e d t h a t h e r d a u g h t e r h a s a w n d h a s e v e n a p p l i e d t o b e a T a k e S t o c k m e n t o r h e r s e l f i n T a l l a h a s s e e , w h e r e s h e w o r k s . D a r l e n e w a n t e d t o g i v e b a c k b y b e i n g a m e n t o r t o t h e p r o g r a m t h a t w a s s u c h a c r u c i a l p a r t i n T a r a ’ s s u c c e s s !

A s a l w a y s , w e a r e t h a n k f u l f o r o u r m e n t o r s T h e y a r e t h e h e a r t a n d s o u l o f T a k e S t o c k . N o t o n l y d o o u r m e n t o r s b u i l d m e a n i n g f u l c o n n e c t i o n s w i t h o u r s t u d e n t s , b u t t h e y a l s o a r e s o m e o f t h e b e s t r e c r u i t e r s o f n e w m e n t o r s . A n d w i t h b r i n g i n g o n 1 5 3 n e w s t u d e n t s t h i s s c h o o l y e a r , a c t i v e l y r e c r u i t i n g m o r e m e n t o r s h a s b e e n a h i g h p r i o r i t y W e c u r r e n t l y h a v e m o r e t h a n 3 0 n e w m e n t o r s w h o b e g a n o r r e a c t i v a t e d m e n t o r i n g s t a t u s t h i s s c h o o l y e a r m o s t o f w h o m w e r e e i t h e r r e c r u i t e d o r r e f e r r e d t o u s b y o n e o f o u r c u r r e n t m e n t o r s . S o T H A N K Y O U t o o u r m e n t o r s , o l d a n d n e w , f o r s t e p p i n g u p t o s u p p o r t o u r s t u d e n t s p u r s u e t h e i r p o s t s e c o n d a r y g o a l s a n d f o r b e i n g s o m e o f t h e b e s t a m b a s s a d o r s o f o u r p r o g r a m Y o u a r e t r u l y v a l u e d a n d a p p r e c i a t e d

Take Stock in Children greatly appreciates the Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Hurricane Ian Disaster Relief Fund grant for $10,000 to support our students and families who were impacted by the storm. Our College Success Coaches connected with the Take Stock students as quickly as possible after the hurricane to check on the status of every student we serve. Many students experienced power outages and minor damage to their homes and something as simple as a gift card for a hot meal and groceries made a real difference. Other families were severely impacted and had to evacuate their homes, not knowing if they will ever return to them. Financial assistance was a heartfelt gift during these uncertain times. We are so grateful for these emergency funds that made it possible for us to provide relief for our Take Stock families. Thank you!

Take Stock in Children has established an ongoing Student Emergency Fund for unexpected expenses that impact the students we serve. 100% of donations made to the fund will directly benefit students in need.

We are proud to announce our new website www.takestocksarasota.org provided through an $8,388 grant from the Edward K. Roberts Emerging Needs Fund at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. The new website serves as a central location for increased community engagement for youth success. Students, mentors, donors, and alumni have access to the applications, support resources, and ways to be involved with Take Stock in Children of Sarasota. “The new website is an amazing gift that impacts our community and provides an opportunity for others to learn about the students, mentors and donors involved with our college scholarship and mentor program. We invite community members to join our mission and change the life of a deserving student in Sarasota County” - Executive Director Lisa Bechtold. to donate today.

Help after Hurricane Ian

"After the storm there "is After the storm there is always a rainbow. a" lways a rainbow. "

This is something we have found the need to consistently remind ourselves in a time of absolute turmoil. Hurricane Ian has greatly affected our family’ s lives. We have been displaced and separated, with a home that is uninhabitable and landlords who have terminated our lease and are filing for condemnation. We have lost many itemsclothes, shoes, toys, all of our furniture, my old son ’ s car, pictures, all of our children’ s awards and accomplishments. My books and materials for nursing school that I am trying hard to find the motivation to push through to be an example to mychildren of perseverance.

When i got a call from Caroline today that you are looking to provide assistance to families in need, after you have already done so much for Collin, I broke down in tears with so much gratitude and appreciation for all that you represent and do for our community. There are no words I can think of to express mythankfulness to you for thinking of us during this extremely difficult time. Thank you so much for yourconsideration and generosity. Anything and everything are so greatly appreciated. - Collin's mother, Emma

"Me and my family live off South Chamberlain Blvd., so we got hit pretty hard from the storm. It wasn't like anything I had been through before with the streets being all flooded and people ktaking ayaks to get around other than that the only way to get through was in a huge truck. At my house specifically there are a bunch of old trees surrounding us so a few of them fell next to the house or the branches the broke off landed on the house. There wasn't too much damage to the house itself, but our car ended up not making it. Because of a tree landing on the car, going through the windshield and on the hood, and the water damage from the road flooding into the driveway the car was totaled. That was the main car my dad used so adjusting in this moment without having the main car we used is hard but not impossible. This donation will help to take some of the stress off my father’ s shoulders and would be greatly appreciated." - Angel

Angel V. is a 10th grade Take Stock scholar at Imagine School in North Port.

Collin B. is a 9th grade Take Stock scholar at North Port High School.

Tara Taggart Class of 2013

Tara joined the Take Stock Sarasota family as a sixth grader at Sarasota Middle School. Throughout high school she maintained a very busy schedule that included dual enrollment at State College of Florida, a heavy course load of classes, volunteering, and work! In 2013 Tara graduated from Riverview High School with nearly a full year of college credits under her belt and made her way to Florida State University where she discovered an interest in politics. She spent time during her undergraduate studies interning and volunteering on different political campaigns.

Tara graduated from Florida State in three years with a BS in Political Science. In the fall of 2016,

Tara was hired as a legislative advocate for the Florida League of Cities in Tallahassee, a nonprofit, non-partisan, statewide association of Florida municipalities. In 2021 she earned her master’s degree in Public Administration from FSU. She enjoys being “part of the process” of policy making through her fulfilling career at Florida League of Cities. Tara credits Take Stock with helping her achieve her academic goals. She actively gives back to her community as a board member for the Junior League of Tallahassee and other area children’s charities. In her personal life, Tara and her fiancé are busy planning a January 2023 wedding.